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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25144888">Can I Tell You Something...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillyenna/pseuds/tillyenna'>tillyenna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Men's Hockey RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Coming Out, Fluff, Hockey Babies, M/M, hand holding, meeting the family (sort of), tilly's soft hockey boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:41:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,789</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25144888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillyenna/pseuds/tillyenna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>5 times Carter reached for Cale's hand, and one time Cale reached for Carter's.</p><p>THIS IS JUST GRATUITOUS FLUFF. LITERALLY NOTHING BAD MAY HAPPEN TO MY BABIES</p><p>For the weekly prompt of “You can hold my hand if you want.”</p><p>Turned into a 5+1 even though I filled the prompt in the first part because it was not enough of these babies ok?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carter Hart/Cale Makar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>115</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Can I Tell You Something...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N, nothing above hand holding happens here, because I have my mental EJ in my head yelling at me that Cale is a baby, and therefore he only gets to hold hands with his boo.... ngl, I almost wrote an EJ version of this story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>5. 2018 World Juniors</h1><p>Most of them are sleeping on the plane to worlds, but Carter is woken by a little whimper from the seat beside him. He cracks an eye open to check on Makar who’s sat beside him. His teammate is gripping both seat rests, his knuckles white from it.</p><p>“You ok Cale?” Carter asks, his voice soft and low, not wanting to wake any of their surrounding teammates.</p><p>“Fine.” Cale grunts, and then when the plane jolts with a little turbulence, he whimpers again.</p><p>Carter nudges him softly with his shoulder, “You can hold my hand if you want.”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Cale mutters again through gritted teeth, “I’m going to be in the NHL, I have to get ok with flying.”</p><p>Carter sighs softly beside him, “I’m sure there’s at least one guy on every team who hates it.”</p><p>Cale’s white, staring down at his knees, and Carter wants to do anything he can to help him.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, with quiet determination, “If you won’t hold my hand because it’ll help you chill out, how about you hold it for another reason.”</p><p>Cale shoots him an unimpressed look, “What reason on this planet could you think of to hold my hand?”</p><p>Carter shrugs, “I think you’re cute.” He says, utterly unashamed, “So this is me, asking a cute boy to hold my hand.”</p><p>“Oh.” Cale freezes in his seat, and for a brief moment Carter wonders if he’s about to get punched, but then Cale’s looking at him, blue eyes wide, “You mean that?”</p><p>Carter nods, giving a little shrug, “I thought you were cute at camp, but I didn’t have the guts to say anything.”</p><p>Cale’s staring at him still, utterly wide eyed, “Me?” He’s shaking his head in disbelief, “You think I’m cute?” He lets out a little snort of laughter, “How many pucks have you stopped with your head Hartsy?”</p><p>“You’re cute Cale,” Carter pokes him in the thigh, glad that he’s at least a little distracted from the turbulence.</p><p>“When I say your out of my league Hartsy,” Cale is still staring at him, “It’s not because I play NCAA and you play NHL.”</p><p>Carter frowned, “You’re super hot Cale, like, I don’t think anyone is out of your league.” He places his hand palm up on Cale’s thigh, “Hold my hand, please?”</p><p>He’s expecting another rebuttal, but instead, Cale just places his hand on top of his, linking their fingers together.</p><p>They both jump, as a voice from the row behind says softly, “You two are fucking adorable, but if you make out on the plane, I will make sure you’re fined.”</p><p>“Fuck you McLeod,” Carter says softly, a huff of laughter as he squeezes Cale’s hand. “Go back to sleep.”</p><p>“Not a chance,” Mikey grins at him, “I’ve been live texting your exchange to Stromer.”</p><p>Cale groans and leans his head against Carter’s shoulder. “Kill me now, ok Hartsy?”</p><p>“Nope,” Carter grins, resting his head on top of Cale’s, “I want to take you on a date when we get to Buffalo.”</p><p>“You realise neither of us can drink in the states,” Cale says quietly.</p><p>“And?” Carter nudges him “Don’t need a drink to show you a good time Cale.”</p><p>Cale huffs softly, and then settles down into his seat further, still resting his head on Carter’s shoulder. “Hey,” he says with a soft smile, “The turbulence has stopped.”</p><p>“Told you holding my hand would help,” Carter grins at him smugly.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<h1>4. First Date</h1><p>Their first date doesn’t end up being in Buffalo, they’re too busy with the tournament, but during the All Star break, Carter flies down to Massachusetts, and they head to Cale’s favourite restaurant.</p><p>As soon as they’re shown the table, Carter moves the chairs, so they can sit on adjoining sides of the table, instead of opposite each other.</p><p>Cale raises a curious eyebrow at him.</p><p>“We’ve been apart for over a month,” Carter pouts at him, “I want to sit close to you ok?”</p><p>Cale shrugs, taking a seat, “I told you we could have stayed in and got take-out.”</p><p>“I want us to have a proper date,” They’ve talked online every day since worlds, but this is a thousand times better, a thousand times more what he wants.</p><p>They talk shop while the waitress brings their drinks, and decide what they’re going to eat, working out what on the menu will affect their diet plans the least, but when the waitress walks away with their orders, there’s a moment of silence.</p><p>Carter smiles to himself, and then brushes his hand against Cale’s, just a hint, but it makes it clear to Cale what he wants.</p><p>“Yeah, ok,” Cale huffs softly, like he’s displeased by the notion at all, and twines their fingers together. “I can’t wait to get you back to my dorm room.”</p><p>Carter flashes him a grin, a shy secret smile between the two of them.</p><p> </p>
<h1>3. Flyers @ Avs</h1><p>“That was a nice win,” Gabe tells the entire room, “Lets get some drinks after yeah boys?”</p><p>Cale rushes through his shower, getting dressed as fast as he can.</p><p>“In a hurry baby?” EJ grins from where he sits.</p><p>Cale shrugs, “I’ve got a date,” he says with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.</p><p>Wolf whistles echo around the room, they’re always on at him about his love life.</p><p>“With mystery boyfriend yes?” Sam nudges him gently.</p><p>Cale nods, “He’s in town, so I thought we’d try and grab some time together.”</p><p>He sees Nate giving him an appraising look, and wonders briefly if Nate really can see into his soul, but he shrugs it off, and starts throwing things back into his bag. When he’s shrugging his suit jacket on, Josty bursts through the doors of the dressing room, dragging Carter behind him.</p><p>“Look who I found loitering outside like he wants to steal our secrets,” Josty nudges his friend, chirping him gently.</p><p>Cale immediately flushes bright red, “Hey,” he says with a little wave.</p><p>Carter is cool as ever, already dressed in his suit, leaning casually against the wall by the door, “You nearly ready?”</p><p>Cale nods, shoving his feet into his shoes.</p><p>Carter turns his attention on Nate, “That was brutal,” he points at him, “I’m impressed.” He gives him a small smile, to show that there isn’t really any true anger behind it.</p><p>Nate shrugs, “Just doing my job.”</p><p>As Cale walks towards the door, Carter casually holds out his hand to him, and Cale breathes for a moment, because there’s no way his teammates don’t know, since he’s said he’s going on a date, and Carter’s already implied that they’re leaving together, so he steels himself and takes the hand that Carter’s offered him.</p><p>He can feel the blush staining the back of his neck as he ignores the sound of his teammates jeering at them as he follows Carter out of the dressing room.</p><p>“Did they not know?” Carter stares at him, eyes wide.</p><p>Cale shrugs, “It’s never come up?”</p><p>Carter snorts, “I got fined for talking about you too much in the locker room.”</p><p>Cale can’t help himself, he grins, and stretches up to press a kiss to Carter’s cheek, “Your place or mine?”</p><p> </p>
<h1>2. 2021 ASG</h1><p>They’re both called to the All Star Game, which is the best thing that’s ever happened to Cale. He was so close to going the previous year, he can’t believe he’s made it this year.</p><p>“This is incredible,” Carter slides in next to him, where he’s leant against the wall, staring out at the room full of superstar players.</p><p>“Babes,” Cale can’t not grin, he hasn’t seen Carter in weeks, and they’re going away for a couple of days after the game.</p><p>“I’ve heard a rumour,” Carter continues, flashing him a shy smile, “That some players use the all star game for hooking up.”</p><p>Cale feels his stomach drop, he wonders briefly if Carter is about to suggest some kind of arrangement for the weekend, suggesting that they sleep with other people. Then he feels Carter nudging him softly with his shoulder, “And I can’t think of anyone I’d rather hook up with than you.”</p><p>Cale snorts with startled laughter, it’s such a whiplash of emotions. “You so sure I’m a sure thing babes?”</p><p>Carter reaches out and takes his hand, palm to palm, holding him gently – they’re standing close enough that no-one will be able to see their interlocked fingers hidden between their bodies. “I’ve got high hopes.”</p><p>“I love you, you dork,” Cale laughs softly.</p><p>“Love you too,” Carter mutters, “Who’s your roommate? Because they’re going to need to swap with me.”</p><p> </p>
<h1>1. Coming Out Press Conference</h1><p>Cale’s nervous, they’ve called this press conference, they’re doing this on their timetable, they’re doing this because they want to come out, because they want to get married, but it doesn’t mean this isn’t nerve wracking.</p><p>They’re stood off to one side, not entering the room yet, but he can see the room filling up with curious journalists, wondering why the Avs and the Flyers have called a joint press conference.</p><p>“We’ll be ok,” Carter’s stood just behind him, “We’re doing this together Cale.”</p><p>“I know,” Cale can’t stop his hands from shaking however, even with Carter beside him. Then, he feels Carter’s fingers brushing against his, looping their little fingers together. He shoots his boyfriend a grin, and then locks their hands together properly.</p><p>“I’ve got you,” Carter steps closer, so they’re pressed together shoulder to shoulder.</p><p>“Lets do this,” Cale grins at him, and together, they step out into the flashing camera bulbs</p><p> </p>
<h1>0. Their Wedding</h1><p>They’re stood in front of their friends, their family, and their teammates. The officiant is speaking, but Carter can’t hear him over the rush of blood in his ears.</p><p>He’s not nervous, he’s wanted this since the moment he first laid eyes on Cale, and it’s not that he’s nervous about standing in front of everyone he loves, he stands in front of hundreds people every time he’s on the ice – but this is different.</p><p>The officiant, a nice woman in her thirties asks him a question, and he’s not even sure what the question was, or what he’s supposed to say in response. “Uh,” he blinks at Cale, “I do?”</p><p>There’s laughter, so that probably wasn’t the right answer to the question, maybe they aren’t at that bit yet.</p><p>He feels something pressing against the back of his hand, gripping him, and when he looks down, Cale’s wrapping his hand around his.</p><p>“Oh,” He grins, intertwining their fingers together, and feeling the rush of panic subside, because with Cale at his side, there’s nothing he can’t do.</p>
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